Abstract

People confined in jail and prison are especially vulnerable to outbreaks of communicable diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Corrections officials across the country have responded by shifting institutional practices, including suspending visitation and programming, as well as releasing some prisoners early. Missing from leading accounts of COVID-19 in correctional facilities are the perspectives of prisoners. This study examined perceptions of risks and responses among a random sample of 31 high-security male prisoners in Oregon. In-depth interviews were conducted by phone in private attorney rooms between April and May 2020. Mixed method data revealed that respondents felt it was a matter of when, not if, the disease would spread throughout the prison system, due primarily to transmission from correctional officers. Yet prisoners were not highly worried about contracting the disease. This was due, in part, to being physically and socially isolated in restrictive housing, which in this instance they viewed as advantageous. Respondents believed the threat of the virus was being taken seriously by prison officials but lacked confidence in their ability to prevent an outbreak or effectively treat infected prisoners. Strategies are needed to mitigate the spread, fear, and consequences of COVID-19 in correctional facilities, as this disease has the potential to upend the functions and purposes of the American prison.

摘要

囚禁在监狱中的人们特别容易受到诸如2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）等传染病暴发的影响。全国的惩教官员已采取相应的措施，改变了机构惯例，包括中止探视和安排节目，并及早释放一些囚犯。囚犯的观点是惩教设施中COVID-19的主要记录中缺少的内容。这项研究从俄勒冈州的31名高安全性男囚犯中随机抽取了风险和应对措施的感知。2020年4月至2020年5月之间，在私人律师室中通过电话进行了深入采访。混合方法数据显示，受访者认为疾病的传播时间仅是由于惩教部门的传播，而不是是否传播到整个监狱系统。长官。然而，囚犯并不十分担心感染这种疾病。这部分是由于在限制性住房中身体和社会隔离，在这种情况下，他们认为这是有利的。受访者认为，监狱官员正认真对待这种病毒的威胁，但对他们预防爆发或有效治疗感染囚犯的能力缺乏信心。需要采取策略来减轻COVID-19在教养设施中的传播，恐惧和后果，因为这种疾病有可能颠覆美国监狱的功能和宗旨。受访者认为，监狱官员正认真对待这种病毒的威胁，但对他们预防爆发或有效治疗感染囚犯的能力缺乏信心。需要采取策略来减轻COVID-19在教养设施中的传播，恐惧和后果，因为这种疾病有可能颠覆美国监狱的功能和宗旨。受访者认为，监狱官员正认真对待这种病毒的威胁，但对他们预防爆发或有效治疗感染囚犯的能力缺乏信心。需要采取策略来减轻COVID-19在教养设施中的传播，恐惧和后果，因为这种疾病有可能颠覆美国监狱的功能和宗旨。